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Demonstrations mark the first big display of public resistance to president’s frenetic second termView the full article

Of all the modern parenting paradoxes, navigating screen time usage might be one of the most complex—and divisive. Critics of screen time claim it can negatively impact social skills, behavior, and sleep. Proponents say it can help kids learn about living in a digital world, improve cultural awareness, and serve as a means of communication. Parents say sometimes they just need a break. The truth, of course, lies somewhere in the messy middle of it all; like so many aspects of parenting, it’s all about finding the balance that’s right for you and your child(ren). Screen time is just one of many topics explored in Poems of Parenting, a new collection of poetry out April 8 from author and artist Loryn Brantz, a consulting creative director for the beloved kids’ educational program Ms. Rachel who has won two Emmy Awards for her work on Sesame Street. The mom of two children (one of whom has a disability) offers short, snappy, honest, and often irreverent reflections on everything from trimming tiny fingernails to watching war and famine play out on TV. It’s exactly the type of content moms need in today’s world. So what about screen time? Here, Brantz shares some insight behind her poem on it—plus, an important and powerful reminder that applies to many aspects of parenthood. This conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity. You’ve worked on two beloved kids’ shows and you’ve struggled with navigating screen time for your own kids. What insights can you offer parents trying to find the right balance? It comes down to what works best for your family. I would never say, “This or that is the ‘right’ thing to do,” because it never accounts for kids with disabilities who may rely more on screen time than others for various reasons. That said, I believe there is such a thing as quality screen time, and I would encourage people to be cognizant of what they put on. Also, when possible, co-watching together, asking questions, or interacting while watching the show is ideal. In our household, there was a lot of pressure to pack in as much early intervention therapy as we could during the first years of my daughter’s life because of all her developmental delays, so we were very strict with screen time. She was only allowed an hour or so per day in tandem with physical therapy, or as much as needed to distract from medical treatments. It was as stressful as it sounds. Now she’s older (and doing amazingly), and her neurotypical little-potato brother watches with her, and we’re not worried about it at all. Sometimes, after a long day of work and school, spending time on the couch cuddling and watching a movie can be the best thing for everyone. I often think, Wow, I can’t believe I popped these sweet little people out of my body, and now they’re watching TV with me! Life is pretty magical, isn’t it? Every kid is different, and every kid’s needs are different. How has your work in kids’ educational programming influenced your own parenting style and strategies? When I was working on Sesame Street at the Jim Henson Co., it was well before I had my own children and I was mostly tapping into my own inner child as far as things I enjoy including The Muppets, Disney World, and picture books. I was making what I enjoy. I figured that’s also what a kid would enjoy, too. Nowadays, with my work for Ms. Rachel, I have learned an extraordinary amount about childhood development, not only from the show but through my own experience with early intervention (EI) for my daughter. EI works best when the parent takes on what they learn during sessions and incorporates it into their children’s day-to-day lives. I more or less became a full-time speech, occupational, physical, and special-instruction therapist for the first three years of her life. So now, my work comes from not only a place of genuinely enjoying children’s media, but also thinking about what I would want my own children—and really, all children—to be watching. Children’s media is so important and needs to be treated as such. You’ve said you feel like you’ve been working toward Poems of Parenting your whole life. It’s been quite a journey. This will essentially be my 12th book. So many things set it apart. For one, it’s the first book that feels like it has a real energy behind it from readers. When I started writing these poems, I immediately began getting messages like, “When is the book coming out?” or “Will you be making a book?” And I was just blown away because no one had ever asked me for a book before. It’s just a dream come true. . . . After over a decade of pushing and pushing to get books made and in front of people, having people come to me asking for a book is a real pinch-me moment. After starting this book, I also decided it was finally time to take the leap to being a full-time artist and writer, primarily for my own projects—which has been a lifelong goal. Read more with Loryn Brantz on Two Truths. View the full article

Executives unsure how far to go in re-engineering their businesses and hope they can lobby US president to ease policiesView the full article

After markets tumble, president reiterates that his policies ‘will never change’ in social media post View the full article

March might be over but the madness continues into April. The NCAA’s 68 Division I men’s college basketball teams have battled it out on the courts in single-elimination play, leaving four teams standing. This year the Final Four have something in common: They all were granted No. 1 seeds on Selection Sunday. Duke, Florida, Auburn, and Houston were all safe bets when filling out a bracket, and they delivered on that promise. Here’s what you need to know heading into the remaining competition, and how to tune in. Do the No. 1 seed teams always make it to the end? The short answer is no. This is only the second time in history this has happened. The last time was 2008. Oftentimes there are surprise victories in the tournament or an underdog who comes from behind. That was not the case this year. When and where is the Final Four? Saturday, April 5, is the big day. First Auburn will face Florida at 6:09 p.m. ET at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. Then Duke and Houston will battle it out at 8:49 p.m ET in the same location. This is the first time a Texas team has made the Final Four when the games were being hosted in the Lone Star State. One can speculate that the hometown crowd will be cheering extra hard for the University of Houston. Players to watch The Auburn Tigers are counting on forward Johni Broome to help them win their first NCAA men’s basketball title. The forward scared fans after exiting the qualifying game versus Michigan State with an arm injury. He returned to appreciative applause from the crowd and paid them back by making an impressive 3-pointer. Florida’s Walter Clayton Jr. also knows a thing or two about 3-pointers. He made two of them to secure the Gators’ victory over Texas Tech. His team has not seen a Final Four in 11 years, so they have something to prove. In contrast, 2025 will mark Duke’s 18th appearance in Final Four play. Freshman Cooper Flagg wants to continue the Blue Devils’ legacy before potentially heading to the NBA. Houston forward Joseph Tugler knows the best offense is a good defense. He may average just 5.5 points a game but that’s because he is too busy making sure the other team doesn’t score. How to tune in CBS is broadcasting the Final Four. The network did so from 1982 to 2015. Beginning in 2016, it shared the responsibility with TBS, switching off every other year. 2025 belongs to CBS. This means traditional cable subscribers and those with an over-the-air antenna are covered. Those who cut the cord can look to live TV subscriptions such as Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, DirecTV Stream, and Fubo. Additionally, Paramount+ subscribers with the Showtime add-on can livestream the local CBS station. View the full article

Kodiak Brush doesn’t mince words when it comes to the state of football helmet design. “Most helmets today are designed to win lab tests, not protect players on the field,” he tells me over email. Brush, an MIT-trained mechanical engineer and former middle linebacker, is a production engineering manager who leads helmet design at Carlsbad, California-based Light Helmets. His latest creation is the Apache helmet, which, at just 3.5 pounds, is the lightest on the market—and yet it has achieved the highest safety score ever recorded by Virginia Tech’s independent helmet testing lab. The Apache is a direct challenge to decades of conventional wisdom about what makes a football helmet safe. It’s not just lighter, Brush claims, it’s smarter—leveraging advanced materials, 3D printing, and a player-first philosophy that prioritizes real-world performance over outdated assumptions. And, while the number of total concussions in the NFL decreased 17% in 2024, there’s still a lot of work to be done. Brush’s journey to revolutionize helmet design connects directly with his very core. As a middle linebacker at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, he was never the biggest or fastest player on the field, he tells me. “I would very rarely get out-leveraged. One of my favorite things to do was meet a pulling guard in the gap, put him on the ground, and ask him, ‘How are you going to let a little guy like me do that to you?’” His helmet was an extension of his body—a tool he relied on for protection and performance. But it wasn’t perfect. “The pain points I had with helmets are personal,” he says. After graduating from MIT and working in accident reconstruction and product design, Brush joined Light Helmets with a mission to create a helmet that addressed those pain points while pushing the boundaries of safety technology. The weight myth The Apache’s most striking feature is its weight—or lack thereof. At 3.5 pounds, it’s up to 40% lighter than many competing helmets. This isn’t just about comfort; it’s about physics. “Lower helmet mass means less energy that needs to be mitigated,” Brush says. “It also reduces neck fatigue, allowing players to control their heads better and for longer.” While people think SUVs beat sedans in crashes, he tells me, your head isn’t a car. It’s 10% of your body mass, tethered by a neck that must stay engaged. So adding weight to it is never a good idea. Less is better. This philosophy runs counter to an industry trend of adding weight to helmets to improve performance in lab tests. Standardized testing protocols like those used by Virginia Tech and the NFL involve striking static head forms with pendulums or pneumatic rams. Heavier helmets tend to score better in these tests because they absorb more energy due to their mass. “[It’s] lab test gaming,” he tells me. But on the field, where players are dynamic rather than static, heavier helmets can do more harm than good. “Increased helmet mass leads to higher energy impacts,” Brush says. “It makes the game less safe for everyone.” How it works Aesthetically, the helmet looks familiar, but certain details make it very different from its typical predecessor. It appears much leaner, and its lines are reminiscent of a trial bike helmet—more aggressive and angled. It also offers a wider field of view. The front of traditional helmets tends to be small and make players feel boxed-in, as if they’re medieval soldiers on the battlefield, but the Apache front is surprisingly open and airy. This is the result of the shock-absorption technologies Brush used. First, there is its flexible outer shell, made from impact-modified nylon, a material more commonly found in racing helmets than football gear. Unlike traditional rigid shells, it flexes on impact, spreading forces across a larger area and reducing pressure peaks on the skull by nearly 20%. Inside the shell there is a 3D-printed liner, a thermoplastic polyurethane network of many cylindrical pods with variable stiffness. This means they buckle under impact to absorb energy before returning to their original shape. This design dissipates energy more efficiently than traditional foam liners, which compress linearly and struggle to recover after heavy impacts. It was developed with K3D, a 3D design and printing technology developed by Kollide, a company that develops impact-resistance technologies through 3D printing “to protect humans in motion.” Light Helmets simulated thousands of impact scenarios using K3D and rapidly iterated designs in ways that traditional manufacturing can’t match. “We broke 47 prototypes before we got the liner’s buckling pattern right,” Brush says. “But every failure taught us something new.” The company claims that its titanium alloy mask—which is available only for professional teams at this point—allows it to shave about 40% of the weight of a comparable traditional face mask, which is usually made with steel. And yet, it has the same hardness and durability of steel. The helmet comes in two models: the Apache, designed for NFL and college football teams, and the Apache Lightning, designed for youth programs. The key difference between the models is in the interior liner material. The 3.5-pound Apache uses impact-absorbing TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane), a durable material that’s engineered to absorb impacts and return to its original state after shocks, maintaining flexibility through time, Light Helmets says. The Apache Lightning uses EPP (expanded polypropylene) foam, an aerospace-grade material known for its ability to efficiently dissipate impact energy, the company claims. It’s also lighter, configurable to less than 3 pounds. All the helmets can be custom made, allowing players to choose colors and different mask designs. The Apache is priced from $649 to $849; the Lightning variant sells for $449 to $649. Testing realities Despite its lightweight design—which Brush admits puts it at a disadvantage in standardized testing—the Apache scored an unprecedented 0.46 on Virginia Tech’s STAR rating system (lower scores indicate better performance). The testing protocol involves striking helmets at multiple locations and speeds with a pendulum system, then calculating a severity score based on how likely those impacts would result in traumatic brain injuries. “Virginia Tech has become the ‘Consumer Reports’ of helmet testing,” Brush says. “Their public results drive innovation by holding manufacturers accountable.” Still, he believes there’s room for improvement in how helmets are evaluated. “Both Virginia Tech and NFL protocols reward heavier helmets without consequence,” he says. Light has proposed updates that would normalize scoring for weight or incorporate drop-tower tests where impact energy is proportional to mass—a change that could fundamentally shift how helmets are designed across the industry. But the real test of any helmet isn’t in the lab. It’s on the field, according to Brush. Feedback from players at every level has been overwhelmingly positive. NFL players using the Apache report feeling quicker and more agile compared to when they wore heavier helmets from competitors like Riddell or Vicis. High school athletes have praised its comfort and visibility, noting that it feels more like wearing a cap than carrying extra weight on their heads. One linebacker told Brush that wearing the Apache was like removing blinders: “I can actually see my targets now.” Another player described finishing games without the usual neck strain he’d come to expect from heavier helmets—a small but significant change that could extend careers over time. The future Brush tells me the Apache design is the future of football helmets. He believes that flexible shells like those used in the Apache will become standard within the next decade, as evidence mounts that they mitigate impact energy more effectively than rigid designs. He also predicts greater adoption of additive manufacturing for position-specific liners tailored to individual needs—denser padding for linemen who take head-on hits versus lighter configurations for quarterbacks who need mobility and peripheral vision. Further down the line, he envisions helmets integrating technologies like impact sensors, communication devices, and even cameras—though he insists these features must not come at the expense of weight reduction or safety. For now, the Apache seems to already be the future of football helmets. Light Helmets sold 5,000 units in 2024, and it’s projecting sales of 50,000 helmets with increased production and word spreading across the community. As one AFC North coach remarked: “It’s not a helmet. It’s an unfair advantage.” But for Brush, success isn’t measured by sales figures or accolades—it’s about changing how people think about football safety and avoid traumatic brain injuries. “We didn’t set out to revolutionize anything,” he says simply. “We just stopped lying to ourselves about what works.” View the full article

Keeping our inboxes organized often feels like an overwhelming task. If you’re fortunate, yours contains only messages from people you wish to communicate with. Realistically, though, most are cluttered with newsletters, receipts, social media digests, and more. These emails aren’t necessarily spam, but they complicate the process of quickly sifting through to find the messages we want to see. This week, Apple introduced a feature to the Mac that aims to help cut through inbox clutter by automatically organizing messages into smart categories. The feature is new in the Mail app in macOS 15.4 and comes several months after Apple debuted the feature on the iPhone in iOS 18.2. Here’s how to use it. As of this week, the new Mail categories features are available on all Macs, iPhones, and iPads that are capable of running the latest operating systems. That’s macOS 15.4, iOS 18.2, and iPadOS 18.2 and later. The central concept behind Mail categories is that it uses on-device processing—meaning Apple is not reading anything—to sort your emails into five categories: Primary: Signified by a blue banner, this category displays personal messages to you as well as any messages with time-sensitive information (like a flight change notice). Transactions: Signified by a green banner, this category displays emails that contain receipts, such as from Amazon, shipping notices, and confirmations. Updates: Signified by a purple banner, this category contains all your newsletters, social media roundup digests, and more. Promotions: Signified by a pink banner, this category contains emails that relate to advertisements, such as an email from Target drawing your attention to its upcoming sale. All Mail: Signified by a black banner, this category shows you every email in your inbox in chronological order, including those from the categories above. By clicking or tapping on any of the category banners, you will quickly see all the emails that fit into that category displayed in your inbox. This can help decrease the time it takes you to find the email you’re looking for and eliminate the need to sort your emails yourself. As excited as many people are about Apple’s new Mail categories feature, it’s worth noting that Apple isn’t exactly innovating here. Google’s Gmail has offered automatic email categorization for years. How to use Apple’s new Mail category feature The best thing about Apple’s new Mail category feature on Mac, iPhone, and iPad is that it’s pretty much automatic. Once you have the email app set up to display categories, Apple’s email client will do everything. To make sure your Mail app is set up to display categories, do the following: On your Mac, iPhone, or iPad, select the inbox you want to display categories for. Now select the three-dots button (…). On Mac, tap “Show Mail Categories”; and on iPhone and/or iPad, tap “Categories.” You will now see a new button bar above your inbox with five buttons, each featuring a unique icon: a person (Primary), a shopping cart (Transactions), a word balloon (Updates), a megaphone (Promotions), and a drawer (All Mail). Select any of the buttons to quickly see the emails that are sorted into the respective categories. Easily reassign emails into other categories Apple also knows that some people may prefer to have emails from certain senders appear in a category other than the one Mail has assigned. That’s why the company also allows users to manually change the category designation for emails from the same sender. For example, if you would prefer that the emails you receive from your local movie theater be sorted into the Promotions category instead of the Updates category, you can automatically reassign it. Here’s how: On Mac, right-click on the email, select Categorize Sender, and then select the category you desire. On iPhone and iPad, tap on the email and then tap the three dots (…) at the top of the email. Select “Categorize Sender” from the dropdown menu, and then select the category you desire. One nice thing about the new Mail category feature is that it is not part of Apple Intelligence, which means it is not limited to Macs, iPhones, and iPads that can run Apple Intelligence. As long as your Mac can run macOS Sequoia and your iPhone and iPad can run iOS 18 and iPadOS 18, respectively, you can take advantage of the new Mail categorization features right now. Of course, it’s worth noting that not everyone may like the new Mail categorization feature. And if you’re one of them, there’s an easy way to turn it off. Simply go to your inbox and select the three dots button (…). On Mac, click “Show Mail Categories” so the checkmark next to it disappears. On iPhone and iPad, tap “List View” and the Categories feature will be hidden. View the full article

Minimalism is a lifestyle choice with countless benefits. For one thing, choosing to live a minimalist life isn’t just about decluttering your space, it’s about redirecting your time, money, and energy toward things that truly matter. Unfortunately, the path to simplicity is against the current of culture. For that reason, it’s important for all of us to surround ourselves with messages and stories that remind us of the benefits of owning less. With that in mind, I’ve curated a collection of articles that I believe will inspire and encourage you on your journey to a simpler, more intentional life. Settle down in a quiet moment this weekend with your favorite beverage and enjoy these articles picked to inspire you. How to Curb Impulse Shopping (or Similar Behaviors) | Zen Habits by Leo Babauta. The root of an impulse habit is that we have some kind of stress, and the habit is a way to soothe it. 8 Things You Will Inevitably Regret Not Letting Go of Sooner in Your Life | Marc & Angel Hack Life by Marc Chernoff. Oftentimes you don’t even realize you’re blocking your own present blessings by holding on to everything so tightly. 10 Minimalist Hacks for a Cleaner, Calmer Home | No Sidebar. A calm home is not found in the size of our space or the beauty of our décor. It’s found in how we feel when we walk through the door. 7 Reasons to Stop Wasting Money on Fast Fashion | Simple Money by Joshua Becker. The goal is to live intentionally—with purpose, simplicity, and peace. And that’s something no fast fashion rack will ever offer. The Return of Dumb Things | Yahoo by Kerry Justich. “I want to feel more connected with the world around me and what media I’m choosing to consume, rather than passively listening, watching and wasting away hours I can’t get back.” Recently Released Inspiring Videos 25 Obsolete Items you Can Get Rid of Right Now | YouTube by Joshua Becker. Technology changes, lifestyles evolve, and yet, many of us still hold on to items that no longer serve a purpose. Here are 25 things you can declutter right away—because in 2025, you just don’t need them anymore. It is Better to Donate than Resell | YouTube by Joshua Becker. Over time, our most significant and recurring motivation to declutter came from the realization that our excess could become a blessing to somebody else. The post Inspiring Simplicity. Weekend Reads. appeared first on Becoming Minimalist. View the full article

The breakout star of this season of The White Lotus? Aimee Lou Wood—and her distinctive real-life smile. “I mean, I can’t believe the impact my teeth are having,” the English actress told Jonathan Ross last month on Ross’s eponymous British chat show. “I hope that people don’t start, like, filing their teeth so they have gaps.” Too late. Unfortunately, Wood may have unintentionally reignited a troubling DIY dentistry trend. On TikTok, users are once again taking nail files to their own teeth, with hashtags like #teethfiling and #teethfile, racking up more than 130 posts, according to Screenshot Media. While Wood’s smile may be the most recent inspiration, this isn’t a new phenomenon. Teeth-filing videos have been circulating online for years. “I’m going to file my teeth down with a nail file because they are not perfect,” one TikTok user said in a since-deleted video posted back in 2020. “I have some ridges, and we’re ballin’ on a budget.” But what might seem like a quick cosmetic fix can cause lasting harm. “When you file your nails, your nails grow back, but your teeth don’t,” Detroit-based dentist Zainab Mackie told the Washington Post’s Allyson Chiu, who originally reported on the trend. “That outer enamel layer doesn’t grow back. . . . Once it’s gone, that’s it.” Dental professionals on TikTok have long warned users to step away from the emery boards and see a professional instead. “Don’t get mad at me when your teeth are more sensitive than a two-year-old crying over spilled milk, because I ain’t going to help you,” orthodontist Benjamin Winters (aka “the Bentist”) said to his 5.5 million TikTok followers in a video that went viral. Wood herself has opened up about her struggle to embrace her teeth when she was growing up. “The Americans can’t believe [my teeth], but they’re all being lovely,” she said on the popular chat show. “It feels so lovely. A real full-circle moment after being bullied for my teeth, forever.” Maybe there’s a lesson in that. View the full article

The arbitrariness of the tariffs is a feature not a bug in the plan to short-circuit the financial establishmentView the full article

Low rates on Ireland, high levies on Slovakia, Asian misery and the strange tale of St Pierre and MiquelonView the full article

LinkedIn has announced the release of its fifth thinking-oriented game, Zip, marking another addition to its growing collection of games designed to foster connection and engagement among users. Zip is available to play starting today. The announcement comes nearly a year after LinkedIn Games first launched, and according to the company, user engagement has remained high. “84% of people who play today will play again tomorrow, and 80% will still be playing a week from now,” LinkedIn reported. LinkedIn states that the games have become “a fun and valuable way to strengthen connections, spark conversations, and encourage friendly competition within professional networks.” In preparation for the release of Zip, LinkedIn implemented a series of updates to improve the overall gaming experience. These enhancements aim to make gameplay more interactive and accessible, allowing players to better connect through friendly competition. The new game continues LinkedIn’s efforts to incorporate social interaction into its platform through light, engaging content designed to support professional relationship-building. With Zip, the company builds on the momentum of its previous four game releases, which have been well-received by users worldwide. Image: LinkedIn This article, "LinkedIn Launches New Thinking Game ‘Zip’ with Enhanced User Features" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

LinkedIn has announced the release of its fifth thinking-oriented game, Zip, marking another addition to its growing collection of games designed to foster connection and engagement among users. Zip is available to play starting today. The announcement comes nearly a year after LinkedIn Games first launched, and according to the company, user engagement has remained high. “84% of people who play today will play again tomorrow, and 80% will still be playing a week from now,” LinkedIn reported. LinkedIn states that the games have become “a fun and valuable way to strengthen connections, spark conversations, and encourage friendly competition within professional networks.” In preparation for the release of Zip, LinkedIn implemented a series of updates to improve the overall gaming experience. These enhancements aim to make gameplay more interactive and accessible, allowing players to better connect through friendly competition. The new game continues LinkedIn’s efforts to incorporate social interaction into its platform through light, engaging content designed to support professional relationship-building. With Zip, the company builds on the momentum of its previous four game releases, which have been well-received by users worldwide. Image: LinkedIn This article, "LinkedIn Launches New Thinking Game ‘Zip’ with Enhanced User Features" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

The Internal Revenue Service issued a reminder Thursday that individuals and businesses in certain disaster-declared areas have until May 1, 2025, to file their 2024 federal income tax returns and make tax payments. The automatic extension applies to taxpayers in parts of twelve states affected by federally declared disasters in 2024. The IRS emphasized that taxpayers do not need to contact the agency to receive this relief. “If a taxpayer’s address of record is in a disaster area locality, individual and business taxpayers automatically get the extra time without having to ask for it,” the IRS stated. Who Qualifies for the May 1 Extension? The May 1 deadline applies to: All residents and businesses in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. The City and Borough of Juneau in Alaska. Chaves County in New Mexico. Multiple counties in Tennessee including Carter, Claiborne, Cocke, Grainger, Greene, Hamblen, Hancock, Hawkins, Jefferson, Johnson, Sevier, Sullivan, Unicoi, and Washington. Dozens of counties and independent cities across Virginia, including Albemarle, Appomattox, Bedford, Bland, Botetourt, Bristol City, Buchanan, Buckingham, Carroll, Charlotte, Covington City, Craig, Danville City, Dickenson, Floyd, Galax City, Giles, Grayson, Greene, Lee, Madison, Montgomery, Nelson, Norton City, Patrick, Pittsylvania, Pulaski, Radford City, Roanoke City, Roanoke, Russell, Scott, Smyth, Tazewell, Washington, Wise, and Wythe. A full list of eligible localities is available on the IRS website’s Tax Relief in Disaster Situations page. Requesting Additional Filing Extensions Taxpayers who require more time beyond May 1, 2025, may request an extension, but it only applies to filing—not payment. The IRS urges taxpayers to request electronic extensions by April 15, 2025. For those in disaster areas needing extensions between April 15 and May 1, requests must be submitted on paper using Form 4868. Regardless of how it’s filed, the extension gives taxpayers until Oct. 15, 2025, to submit their returns. However, all payments are still due by May 1, 2025. Additional details are available at IRS.gov/extensions. Fall Deadlines for Other Disaster Areas The IRS noted that some disaster area taxpayers face different deadlines later this year. These include: Oct. 15, 2025, for taxpayers in Los Angeles County, California, due to January wildfires. Nov. 3, 2025, for all of Kentucky and specific counties in West Virginia: Boone, Greenbrier, Lincoln, Logan, McDowell, Mercer, Mingo, Monroe, Raleigh, Summers, Wayne, and Wyoming. Special Relief for Taxpayers Affected by Attacks in Israel Taxpayers living or conducting business in Israel, Gaza, the West Bank, or those otherwise affected by the terrorist attacks beginning October 7, 2023, also qualify for tax relief. These individuals and entities have until Sept. 30, 2025, to file and pay federal taxes. What Returns and Payments Are Covered? The relief covers various filings and payments, including: Calendar year 2024 partnership and S Corporation returns (originally due March 17). 2024 individual income tax returns and quarterly estimated payments (normally due April 15). Calendar year 2024 corporate and fiduciary income tax returns (also due April 15). Additional returns, payments, and time-sensitive tax-related actions as outlined on the IRS Disaster Assistance page. Automatic Relief and Additional Support “The IRS automatically provides filing and penalty relief to any taxpayer with an IRS address of record located in the disaster area,” the agency noted. However, those who receive a penalty notice for a due date within the postponement period should contact the number on the notice to have penalties removed. The IRS also offers support for taxpayers whose necessary records are located in the affected disaster area, even if they live elsewhere. This includes aid workers affiliated with recognized government or philanthropic organizations. Affected taxpayers outside of the declared areas can call 866-562-5227 for assistance. Additionally, individuals and businesses who suffered uninsured or unreimbursed disaster-related losses may choose to claim them on the return for the year the loss occurred or the previous year. More information is available in IRS Publication 547, Casualties, Disasters, and Thefts. This article, "IRS Reminds Disaster Victims in 12 States of May 1 Tax Deadline" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

The Internal Revenue Service issued a reminder Thursday that individuals and businesses in certain disaster-declared areas have until May 1, 2025, to file their 2024 federal income tax returns and make tax payments. The automatic extension applies to taxpayers in parts of twelve states affected by federally declared disasters in 2024. The IRS emphasized that taxpayers do not need to contact the agency to receive this relief. “If a taxpayer’s address of record is in a disaster area locality, individual and business taxpayers automatically get the extra time without having to ask for it,” the IRS stated. Who Qualifies for the May 1 Extension? The May 1 deadline applies to: All residents and businesses in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. The City and Borough of Juneau in Alaska. Chaves County in New Mexico. Multiple counties in Tennessee including Carter, Claiborne, Cocke, Grainger, Greene, Hamblen, Hancock, Hawkins, Jefferson, Johnson, Sevier, Sullivan, Unicoi, and Washington. Dozens of counties and independent cities across Virginia, including Albemarle, Appomattox, Bedford, Bland, Botetourt, Bristol City, Buchanan, Buckingham, Carroll, Charlotte, Covington City, Craig, Danville City, Dickenson, Floyd, Galax City, Giles, Grayson, Greene, Lee, Madison, Montgomery, Nelson, Norton City, Patrick, Pittsylvania, Pulaski, Radford City, Roanoke City, Roanoke, Russell, Scott, Smyth, Tazewell, Washington, Wise, and Wythe. A full list of eligible localities is available on the IRS website’s Tax Relief in Disaster Situations page. Requesting Additional Filing Extensions Taxpayers who require more time beyond May 1, 2025, may request an extension, but it only applies to filing—not payment. The IRS urges taxpayers to request electronic extensions by April 15, 2025. For those in disaster areas needing extensions between April 15 and May 1, requests must be submitted on paper using Form 4868. Regardless of how it’s filed, the extension gives taxpayers until Oct. 15, 2025, to submit their returns. However, all payments are still due by May 1, 2025. Additional details are available at IRS.gov/extensions. Fall Deadlines for Other Disaster Areas The IRS noted that some disaster area taxpayers face different deadlines later this year. These include: Oct. 15, 2025, for taxpayers in Los Angeles County, California, due to January wildfires. Nov. 3, 2025, for all of Kentucky and specific counties in West Virginia: Boone, Greenbrier, Lincoln, Logan, McDowell, Mercer, Mingo, Monroe, Raleigh, Summers, Wayne, and Wyoming. Special Relief for Taxpayers Affected by Attacks in Israel Taxpayers living or conducting business in Israel, Gaza, the West Bank, or those otherwise affected by the terrorist attacks beginning October 7, 2023, also qualify for tax relief. These individuals and entities have until Sept. 30, 2025, to file and pay federal taxes. What Returns and Payments Are Covered? The relief covers various filings and payments, including: Calendar year 2024 partnership and S Corporation returns (originally due March 17). 2024 individual income tax returns and quarterly estimated payments (normally due April 15). Calendar year 2024 corporate and fiduciary income tax returns (also due April 15). Additional returns, payments, and time-sensitive tax-related actions as outlined on the IRS Disaster Assistance page. Automatic Relief and Additional Support “The IRS automatically provides filing and penalty relief to any taxpayer with an IRS address of record located in the disaster area,” the agency noted. However, those who receive a penalty notice for a due date within the postponement period should contact the number on the notice to have penalties removed. The IRS also offers support for taxpayers whose necessary records are located in the affected disaster area, even if they live elsewhere. This includes aid workers affiliated with recognized government or philanthropic organizations. Affected taxpayers outside of the declared areas can call 866-562-5227 for assistance. Additionally, individuals and businesses who suffered uninsured or unreimbursed disaster-related losses may choose to claim them on the return for the year the loss occurred or the previous year. More information is available in IRS Publication 547, Casualties, Disasters, and Thefts. This article, "IRS Reminds Disaster Victims in 12 States of May 1 Tax Deadline" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

The Fast Company Impact Council is an invitation-only membership community of leaders, experts, executives, and entrepreneurs who share their insights with our audience. Members pay annual dues for access to peer learning, thought leadership opportunities, events and more. As someone deeply invested in sustainable mass transit and supply chain automation, I’m also invested in an idea that could change the world of freight transport for us all. The global supply chain is in flux. Even before new tariffs, the nearshoring trend in North America has created an urgent demand for more innovative and efficient freight solutions. However, despite automotive advances, transport logistics are riddled with inefficiencies—bottlenecks at congested ports, trucks idling for hours at border crossings, and outdated infrastructure struggling to meet modern demands. But what if we could change that? What if freight could move continuously, seamlessly, and autonomously away from public roads? That’s precisely the vision behind Green Corridors, an emerging technology company tackling some of the most congested trade routes in North America. A new era for freight mobility Led by president and CEO Mitch Carlson, Green Corridors is pioneering a transformative approach to freight logistics, combining industrial automation with intelligent infrastructure. Their pilot projects under development include a 60-mile autonomous freight corridor between the Port of Houston and an inland terminal currently in feasibility stage, and a 165-mile corridor between Laredo, Texas, and Monterrey, Mexico in predevelopment stage. These projects will redefine the way goods progress across these critical trade arteries. The core of the new system is an elevated guideway system where autonomous freight shuttles traverse a dedicated track to transport cargo seamlessly over these highly congested routes. Beyond incremental improvements to trucking or rail, the solution is an entirely new paradigm for freight transport. The implications are massive: Eliminate congestion: By shifting freight movement away from roadways and onto dedicated guideways running autonomous shuttles, these corridors substantially increase safety, reduce road maintenance costs, and alleviate traffic jams that cost billions of dollars in lost productivity. Strengthen national security: The system integrates directly with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, ensuring that every shipment is pre-scanned and approved before it crosses the U.S./Mexico border. Compared to today’s manual methods, in which only about 5% of cargo is fully scanned, this would mark a monumental shift in security and efficiency. Reduce emissions: Freight shuttles vastly reduce emissions from semi-trucks. Likewise, the shuttles run at 30 mph versus 60 and run on rails versus rubber tires, using clean diesel fuel and electric propulsion. A single corridor could cut emissions by up to 75% while maintaining 24/7 operations. Productivity: The trade routes Green Corridors are targeting are money-losing scenarios for traditional transport. In the proposed new model, truckers are more productive, have a higher quality of life, and able to make more trips per day. Tailor-made for nearshoring As nearshoring increases in North American markets, Mexico has overtaken China as the leading U.S. trade partner. This trend is a positive development in many respects; however, the infrastructure challenges of ground transport continue to hinder efficiency. Laredo, the nation’s No. 1 port of entry, sees 18,500 trucks cross the border daily, often waiting up to eight hours. The high growth of this route, particularly as the U.S. moves further away from reliance on factories in Asia, has made it challenging for Laredo to meet the increasingly higher pressure to remain profitable and predictable for ground transport. Green Corridors removes these inefficiencies and sets a new standard for freight logistics in an era where predictability, security, and efficiency are paramount. A national and global vision While the Laredo-Monterrey and Houston projects are first in line, Green Corridors is eyeing a much larger transformation. As it scales, the company plans to target intelligent freight transportation corridors in major port cities such as Los Angeles, Seattle, and New York. Ultimately, the solution could scale to anywhere congested corridors are throttling economic productivity. In its next phase, the company would like to play a primary role in reshaping shipping routes worldwide. For example, Mexico’s proposed Interoceanic Corridor, a 188-mile rail project meant to compete with the Panama Canal, could potentially use the Green Corridors’ intelligent freight transportation system to create a more efficient alternative instead. Instead of waiting weeks for ships to queue through the canal, companies could seamlessly transport freight from the Pacific to the Gulf of Mexico in hours. The road ahead Clearly infrastructure projects of this scale don’t occur overnight, but momentum is building. Green Corridors has already submitted its presidential permit application for the Laredo-Monterrey corridor. If approved, the project could be operational by 2030, according to my interview with Carlson. The company has aligned itself with leading engineering firms (including my own organization, Chang Robotics), financial institutions, and multiple government agencies to ensure a smooth execution. This type of development is the future of freight—a system that operates 24/7, doesn’t clog our highways, and enhances security, while reducing environmental impact. For businesses navigating the complexities of modern supply chains, it offers the path to a more efficient and sustainable future. In an era where logistics disruptions can mean the difference between profit and loss, that future can’t come soon enough. Matthew Chang is the founder and principal engineer of Chang Robotics. View the full article

The Fast Company Impact Council is an invitation-only membership community of leaders, experts, executives, and entrepreneurs who share their insights with our audience. Members pay annual dues for access to peer learning, thought leadership opportunities, events and more. For years, the real estate industry had lacked the data necessary to drive informed business decisions. Data is often fragmented, incomplete, or nonexistent, making it difficult for landlords and real estate professionals to analyze trends, forecast market shifts, and optimize their operations. Our research at RentRedi showed us that 90% of our landlords previously used pen and paper or spreadsheets to manage their rental properties before adopting our software, giving them little access to helpful data. With the adoption of centralized platforms like ours and other real estate technologies, data collection is skyrocketing. Investors, real estate agents, and property managers are adopting technologies that streamline operations, and in the process, those platforms are generating vast amounts of data that can be used to provide deep insights into market behaviors that benefit the landlords providing it. This data revolution presents an unprecedented opportunity for real estate businesses to make smarter, data-driven decisions, reduce risk, and drive growth. By understanding where real estate data comes from, overcoming data overload, and strategically harnessing information, real estate agents and investors can significantly improve operations and drive business growth. How to harness data and use it to your advantage Whether you sell, buy, or manage real estate, data plays a crucial role in providing opportunities for you to make more informed decisions. Effectively utilizing real estate data can lead to improved business operations and increased profitability. Rental property owners, for instance, can leverage data insights to increase on-time rent collection, get better tenants, minimize evictions, reduce vacancies, and streamline property maintenance. Insights can also help establish better operating procedures, such as utilizing 5-pronged tenant screening processes (comprehensive background checks, credit reports, criminal reports, eviction reports, and income and asset verification) to identify high-risk tenants or adjusting lease terms to encourage on-time payments. Running surveys to gather customer feedback can help owners improve understanding of renters’ needs and what matters most to them. Real estate agents can use the feedback to enhance their communication skills, property showing process, and negotiation strategies, leading to an upgraded overall client experience, more referrals, and repeat business. Likewise, gathering tenant feedback helps property owners understand what matters most to their customers, allowing them to enhance tenant satisfaction and retention. Finally, using a property management system that consolidates, categorizes, and analyzes data will streamline processes, and ensure easy access to critical information, so focus can remain on the most relevant metrics and trends. Specific applications of real estate data Rental property investors can leverage property management software to implement innovative solutions that benefit themselves and their tenants. For example, we analyze data to identify trends, providing it back in usable formats to improve real estate businesses. Turning data from insight into actionable guidance is key. If data reveals that renters using autopay pay rent on time 99% of the time—as opposed to an 88% on-time payment rate for those who don’t—you know to offer your tenants (and advise them to set up) automatic payments to avoid missed or late payments and resulting late fees and penalties. Likewise, data may show that landlords are likely to see a 13% jump in on-time rent payments when using a credit boost feature to report on-time payments to credit bureaus, which also helps renters establish credit and raise their existing credit scores. With this information, landlords can consider offering that service to tenants. These actionable insights strengthen the landlord-tenant relationship. Where to find data sources To leverage data to improve your real estate business, you need to know where to find it. Real estate data comes from a wide variety of sources: from public records and market reports to proprietary databases and tenant interactions. To effectively mine real estate data, professionals should start by identifying key data sources relevant to their operations. For example, public records, MLS listings, and property tax assessments provide valuable market insights, while customer surveys and online reviews reveal tenant and investor sentiment. Property listings and market transactions provide data on property sales prices, listing durations, vacancy rates, and location-based demand, as well as demographic data such as neighborhood trends, population growth, and urban development. This type of data provides valuable insights into property valuation and investment opportunities. In the rental industry, tenant applications and tenant screening provide data on income, employment history, credit scores, and rental behavior, which aids in risk assessment. Meanwhile, tracking rent payments reveals payment patterns that help landlords and property managers optimize rent collection strategies. Building performance and maintenance logs also provide helpful data, especially IoT sensors and smart building technologies that track energy usage, maintenance needs, and occupancy trends, allowing for sustainability and cost reduction planning. The challenges of too much data Simply having access to this data isn’t enough—it’s crucial to know how to extract meaningful insights from it. Data can be a powerful tool, but the sheer volume of information available can be overwhelming, particularly while simultaneously managing properties and/or growing your portfolios. Too much data can slow decision making. Organizing, interpreting, and applying the data in beneficial ways for your businesses takes time, is difficult, and can lead to analysis paralysis if done manually. Besides, raw data is not always actionable. That’s why it’s important to utilize analytical tools and dashboards to translate complex datasets into visual reports that make patterns and trends easily digestible and understandable. Final words The growing availability of real estate data presents both challenges and opportunities. Collecting and analyzing data from diverse sources provides professionals across the real estate industry—from landlords to large-scale developers—with the ability to make better decisions regarding investment, property improvements, and customer satisfaction. Adopting data-driven solutions can lead to greater efficiency, improved business relationships, and increased profitability. By centralizing information, leveraging analytics, and implementing smart policies, real estate investors can harness the power of data to transform their businesses in an increasingly digital world. Ryan Barone is cofounder and CEO of RentRedi. View the full article

Artificial intelligence is increasingly influencing how U.S. consumers search and shop online, according to a new survey released by adMarketplace. The company surveyed 1,000 U.S. adults using a census-balanced sample by age and gender to gauge perceptions and adoption of AI-driven search experiences. The results highlight significant trends for advertisers and publishers as AI becomes more integrated into native search environments. The findings show that 45% of Americans have used AI-powered search tools, including chat-based engines and AI-driven results. That figure nearly doubles the 27% who report not having tried these tools. Meanwhile, 17% of respondents said they rely more on AI search than traditional methods. According to adMarketplace, the growth in adoption is fueled primarily by the relevancy and convenience AI delivers. A quarter of respondents cited accurate, relevant results and ease of use as the most compelling reasons to adopt AI-powered search while shopping online. AI’s integration into native search environments—within apps, websites, and platforms—was emphasized as a key factor in providing a more seamless and personalized shopping journey. The survey indicates that 69% of Americans have interacted with AI-generated prompts and search results, and 53% fall between somewhat likely and very likely to continue doing so. Personalization emerged as the most valued feature among AI-driven capabilities. Twenty-seven percent of consumers said personalized results based on their inputs were the most important feature of AI-powered search. Other useful features included enhanced shopping experiences and real-time suggestions based on user intent. The survey also found that AI is already becoming a digital personal shopper for many consumers. Forty-seven percent of respondents reported using AI tools during their online shopping journey, with a quarter of those using them frequently. These results mirror findings from other industry reports, such as one from Adobe, which observed a 1,200% increase in generative AI traffic to retail websites between July 2024 and February 2025. Despite the growth, adMarketplace notes that generative AI still trails behind channels like paid search in overall traffic. A key insight from the survey shows the gap in AI tool usage, with 47% reporting usage and 40% saying they have not used these tools in their shopping journey. Demographic data reveals that younger consumers—specifically Millennials and Gen Z—are more open to using AI-powered search compared to Gen X and Baby Boomers. Men, in particular, show greater interest than women across several metrics: 30% of men interact with AI-generated results versus 20% of women 30% of men value ease of use versus 21% of women 20% of men rely more on AI-powered search compared to 14% of women Still, skepticism remains. About 1 in 5 Americans surveyed expressed no interest in using AI for search or shopping, indicating a level of mistrust or lack of perceived value in the technology. This segment may require more targeted communication to demonstrate the benefits of AI-powered solutions. As AI continues to evolve, the survey suggests a growing, though uneven, acceptance of AI in search behavior. adMarketplace concludes that advertisers and publishers have an opportunity to harness this shift by embedding AI into their native search experiences and clearly demonstrating how it enhances relevance, engagement, and personalized results. Image: Envato This article, "New Survey Highlights How Americans Are Embracing AI-Powered Search" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Artificial intelligence is increasingly influencing how U.S. consumers search and shop online, according to a new survey released by adMarketplace. The company surveyed 1,000 U.S. adults using a census-balanced sample by age and gender to gauge perceptions and adoption of AI-driven search experiences. The results highlight significant trends for advertisers and publishers as AI becomes more integrated into native search environments. The findings show that 45% of Americans have used AI-powered search tools, including chat-based engines and AI-driven results. That figure nearly doubles the 27% who report not having tried these tools. Meanwhile, 17% of respondents said they rely more on AI search than traditional methods. According to adMarketplace, the growth in adoption is fueled primarily by the relevancy and convenience AI delivers. A quarter of respondents cited accurate, relevant results and ease of use as the most compelling reasons to adopt AI-powered search while shopping online. AI’s integration into native search environments—within apps, websites, and platforms—was emphasized as a key factor in providing a more seamless and personalized shopping journey. The survey indicates that 69% of Americans have interacted with AI-generated prompts and search results, and 53% fall between somewhat likely and very likely to continue doing so. Personalization emerged as the most valued feature among AI-driven capabilities. Twenty-seven percent of consumers said personalized results based on their inputs were the most important feature of AI-powered search. Other useful features included enhanced shopping experiences and real-time suggestions based on user intent. The survey also found that AI is already becoming a digital personal shopper for many consumers. Forty-seven percent of respondents reported using AI tools during their online shopping journey, with a quarter of those using them frequently. These results mirror findings from other industry reports, such as one from Adobe, which observed a 1,200% increase in generative AI traffic to retail websites between July 2024 and February 2025. Despite the growth, adMarketplace notes that generative AI still trails behind channels like paid search in overall traffic. A key insight from the survey shows the gap in AI tool usage, with 47% reporting usage and 40% saying they have not used these tools in their shopping journey. Demographic data reveals that younger consumers—specifically Millennials and Gen Z—are more open to using AI-powered search compared to Gen X and Baby Boomers. Men, in particular, show greater interest than women across several metrics: 30% of men interact with AI-generated results versus 20% of women 30% of men value ease of use versus 21% of women 20% of men rely more on AI-powered search compared to 14% of women Still, skepticism remains. About 1 in 5 Americans surveyed expressed no interest in using AI for search or shopping, indicating a level of mistrust or lack of perceived value in the technology. This segment may require more targeted communication to demonstrate the benefits of AI-powered solutions. As AI continues to evolve, the survey suggests a growing, though uneven, acceptance of AI in search behavior. adMarketplace concludes that advertisers and publishers have an opportunity to harness this shift by embedding AI into their native search experiences and clearly demonstrating how it enhances relevance, engagement, and personalized results. Image: Envato This article, "New Survey Highlights How Americans Are Embracing AI-Powered Search" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

The Fast Company Impact Council is an invitation-only membership community of leaders, experts, executives, and entrepreneurs who share their insights with our audience. Members pay annual dues for access to peer learning, thought leadership opportunities, events and more. The famous computer scientist Bill Joy once said, “No matter who you are, most of the smartest people work for someone else.” If you want to build something on the bleeding edge, you must have an open ecosystem that can pull in as many ideas as possible, skills and talents that exist beyond the four walls of your office building. This is the ethos of open source, the idea that the world is open for collaboration and that diverse people working together can create something beyond themselves. Sadly, we’ve lost much of this ethos over the past 30 to 40 years. Even though the digital world is built upon open source, almost none of it is open for collaboration today. Recently, open-source providers have come under fire for charging for certain open-source features. Accusations have ranged from spoiling the spirit of open source to offering loss leaders (free solutions that lock customers into APIs or networking effects that are essentially “bait” for higher-cost features). To explain why this is false, I must explain how we’ve strayed from the original open-source ethos and why charging large enterprises for certain features is imperative to creating a sustainable path forward. How we lost the open-source ethos Before open source, the term “free software” was used. It had a sort of anti-capitalist, anti-economic bent. In the 90s, a contingent of people came in and rebranded that as open source, forming an institute called the Open Source Initiative, opening the doors to the masses. When the internet began connecting people of all stripes and backgrounds, the open-source movement exploded. The fundamentals were simple: Anyone, anywhere could take source code, tweak it, and contribute back to the community. Today, the notion that the computational infrastructure for the world should be open for collaborative remixing and the idea that people, whether they’re startup founders or garage coders looking to tinker and customize, can work together has been largely lost. To prove it, simply try customizing your email or web browser. Even though these solutions are largely built using open-source code and operating systems, the second you make any change, all the DRM encryption protocols break down, rendering you unable to listen to music on Spotify or watch videos on YouTube. The spirit of collaboration is gone How did we lose this spirit of collaboration? Part of this shift is simply the evolving nature of software. It used to be you either uploaded or downloaded a program to your computer, and you could inspect the source code. Now, software is hosted and rendered via web browsers and user interfaces, meaning major cloud service providers can use all kinds of open-source code, but they never have to reveal it or share it with the community if they don’t want to. This isn’t to finger wag. Many cloud providers contribute amazing things to the open-source community. Indeed, their solutions are open in the sense that they’re free to the public. They’re not open in that they don’t accept community contributions, and they certainly wouldn’t tolerate someone taking their source code and remixing it, aka forking. Finally, there’s an existential clash between enterprises and maintainers, the volunteers responsible for overseeing open-source projects. When enterprise IT departments need something fixed, they call their vendor and work through the kinks. You can’t do that with an open-source community. Demanding work from volunteers doesn’t go over well. And besides, community maintainers don’t understand enterprise needs—not in the intimate way businesses need. That’s because the open-source community wasn’t born in a corporate office. It was a grassroots movement of coders wanting to create powerful, novel things. Maintaining the open-source movement requires understanding the needs of this community and the enterprises that now rely on these solutions. The solution providers that can understand both sides and thread the needle between their different needs and motivations will be the foundations of a sustainable path forward. Protect the “innovation commons” The term “commons” originates from economics—a kind of open resource that’s shared and managed by the community. You can think of it as an Alpine pasture or a vibrant lake sustaining a village. It’s precious but vulnerable. The “innovation commons” is the open-source community. If someone overfishes, overgrazes, or pollutes the commons, it harms everyone else. So, it’s in everyone’s interest to protect the commons. Open source has become increasingly expensive to sustain. For any provider, the path of least resistance is to close down the commons and sell anything valuable as a proprietary artifact. But it’s much more abundant to keep the commons open to as many people as possible, allowing them to benefit and contribute. As stewards of the innovation commons, rather than trying to sell every single tree, it’s much better if we pick some fruit and bring it to a storefront—a stand at the side of the community garden. If enterprises roll up with two-ton trucks and want to take their fill of fruit and vegetables, we can absolutely give it to them and charge money to invest back into the commons to nurse a sick tree or restore fallow ground. From the outside, charging enterprises for certain open-source features may look like the same thing as selling loss leaders. However, there are a million unsexy but fundamental things required to maintain an open-source ecosystem. Bridging the gap between what the volunteer community can provide and what enterprises desperately need fuels these essential components of future innovations. Asking enterprises to pay for much-needed benefits like security, optimization, and real-time notifications is not equivalent to selling them open-source solutions with bells and whistles. It’s a mutually beneficial relationship that grows the innovation commons while providing targeted solutions to companies’ core needs. For example, many enterprises work with older versions of Python. Tech enablers can use our expertise to apply bug fixes and security patches to these older versions, capabilities that wouldn’t be possible otherwise. In turn, using those enterprise resources, we can continue shipping thousands of pieces of open source to people for free, maintaining the original spirit of open source and protecting the innovation commons. Today, less than 1% of the world’s population can write any kind of code, but AI will bring the rest of the world along. Can you imagine the potential when the other 99% can collaborate in an open environment by simply using natural language or modular tools? I can. And, I’m infinitely excited for what the future holds. Peter Wang is the chief AI and innovation officer and cofounder of Anaconda. View the full article

The brief supporting Perkins Coie includes more than 500 groups but nearly all are small and medium-sized View the full article

The Fast Company Impact Council is an invitation-only membership community of leaders, experts, executives, and entrepreneurs who share their insights with our audience. Members pay annual dues for access to peer learning, thought leadership opportunities, events and more. The way we produce and consume food is changing. Not only is the current food system a threat to our health, it’s also a threat to our planet. As a food producer, the challenge is clear: How do we transition toward more nutrient-dense, environmentally responsible food choices without compromising taste or accessibility? Modern food production has often emphasized convenience, leading to highly processed products that lack substance and sustenance. However, traditional diets, such as the Mediterranean diet, offer a time-tested solution. Rooted in whole, plant-based ingredients, these diets highlight a variety of grains, legumes, and plant-based proteins that provide essential nutrients while reducing the environmental footprint of food production. By returning to these principles, we can create a more sustainable and nutritious future. Learn from traditional diets For centuries, Mediterranean communities have thrived on ingredients that not only support long-term health but also align with sustainable farming practices. Unlike modern industrial agriculture, which prioritizes monoculture crops and mass production, traditional food systems accentuate biodiversity and soil regeneration. Ancient grains like buckwheat are regaining popularity for their rich nutrient profiles and minimal environmental impact. Legumes, such as chickpeas and lentils, are packed with plant-based protein, fiber, and essential minerals while also playing a crucial role in the rise of sustainable practices in modern agriculture. We need to take inspiration from these traditional approaches and champion minimally processed ingredients for the sake of human health and ecological stability. Interestingly, many Americans report that while traveling in Italy, they experience fewer food intolerances and improved digestion—despite indulging more during their vacations. This may be attributed to Italian cuisine’s deep-rooted tradition and propensity toward whole, minimally processed foods and traditional dishes made with simple, high-quality ingredients. Innovation to address modern challenges Traditional food systems are not the sole answer to today’s complex issues of food security, climate change, and health. We must also leverage technology, research, innovation, and a little bit of creativity. The use of spirulina is the perfect example of how innovation can build on traditional principles to create more sustainable and nutrient-dense food options. Called “the food of the future” by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, spirulina is a blue-green algae with superfood benefits which has been consumed for centuries, providing a rich source of protein, vitamins, and minerals. What makes it especially promising for the future of food is its minimal environmental footprint—it requires very little water, land, and energy to produce. It also contributes to the reduction of greenhouse gases—production can be carbon neutral or even carbon negative, as the growing cells sequester CO2. Many brands are now incorporating ingredients like spirulina into their product offerings, from snacks to beverages and even in more unexpected areas like pasta. For example, at Felicia we source Italian Apulia Kundi spirulina directly from our “spirulina park” at the Italian headquarters, a facility dedicated to growing these precious microalgae by using the water resulting from the pasta-making process. The water is purified and reused to make the pasta, fostering a virtuous circular economy. This type of sustainable production is a crucial step in our shared journey toward a healthier planet and population. But for innovation like this to really make an impact, it needs to happen at every stage, from food production to product design and consumer education. Creating variety in one’s diet doesn’t have to be complicated—it can be as simple as incorporating diverse grains, legumes, and vegetables into daily meals and building a colorful plate to delight the senses, without compromising on taste. As brands, we hold a responsibility to our consumers to create the products that make this possible. By embracing both traditional wisdom and modern innovation, with renewed passion, creativity and care, we can reach a thriving future. Carlo Stocco is managing director, North America at Felicia and Andriani. View the full article

Warning from Texas senator comes as president’s trade war sends US markets into tailspin View the full article

There’s the egg price problem for sure, but whether you’re trying to save grocery money or you have an aversion to eggs for dietary or health restrictions—you too deserve cake. Cake for a birthday or cake on a whim, there should be nothing holding you back from achieving your sugary dreams of the moment, least of all a lack of eggless cake recipes. I tested out five common and accessible egg replacement options to see which one produced the best eggless cake. The batterI decided to test a basic yellow cake recipe I’ve used before. It uses a combination of butter and oil, sugar, milk, flour, baking powder, salt, vanilla extract, and usually eggs. It’s a good layering cake since when it’s prepared as-written (with eggs), it produces a sturdy, level (not domed), vanilla scented cake. In the interest of time, making multiple batches, and reducing mess, I spooned the batter out into cupcake papers rather than into larger cake pans. The first round of cake was prepared with egg as a control. The replacements Cupcakes from left to right: egg (control), banana, applesauce, yogurt. Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann There are almost too many options for substituting eggs in cake batter, so I focused on the ones I’ve heard about the most often: mashed banana, Greek yogurt, applesauce, aquafaba, and a tapioca flour and baking powder mixture. Eggs are essential to cake batter and other baked goods, because they’re a binder, can be a leavener, and they’re an emulsifier (they can help keep fats and liquids stable and homogenized). They also add structure and moisture to the finished product. Truly, they’re incredible. We’re looking for a single ingredient to do as much of that as possible, but it’s important to keep our expectations realistic—few other ingredients can accomplish all of that without sacrificing something. The resultsLet’s get to the good stuff—the results. Here are the best egg replacements for cake, and the worst performers. Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann 1. Aquafaba. It’s easy to dismiss aquafaba (the liquid from a can of chickpeas or other beans) until you actually use it. This cake was perfectly delicious, spongy, moist, and with no off-flavors. It was the most similar in structure and flavor to a cake prepared with whole eggs. It’s also the easiest substitution. As long as you saved some aquafaba from last night’s dinner (or do what I do and keep it handy in your freezer), you simply add three tablespoons of the bean liquid per single whole egg the recipe calls for. I mixed it in during the same stage I would have for the egg, right after the butter and sugar got mixed together. Note that if your beans weren’t low-sodium then you may want to reduce the salt in the recipe by a quarter teaspoon. Left: Aquafaba cupcake. Right: Tapioca and baking powder cupcake. Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann 2. Tapioca flour and baking powder. This easy to make mixture produced a good quality final product as well. Points were taken off for the mixture being an extra step, and for tapioca flour being possibly harder to source depending on where you live. The cake had more loft and was more tender than the aquafaba replacement, making it more delicate to handle if you’re stacking layers for a big cake. Mix one tablespoon of tapioca flour with one tablespoon of cold water. Stir in a quarter-teaspoon of baking powder, and this replaces one whole egg in your cake recipe. The mixture will be very liquidy. The tapioca flour, baking powder, and water mixture. Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann Alternatively, you can simply add the extra baking powder measurement to the dry ingredients. Add the tapioca and water mixture to the bowl after creaming the butter and sugar, and proceed with the recipe. You can usually find tapioca flour in the baking aisle of large supermarkets. 3. Banana. Bananas are a great helper in batters because they actually can mimic some of what eggs do: they can bind, add moisture, and their fibers provide structure and can help keep fats and liquids suspended like eggs. Plus, they’re pretty easy to access in every region and in most grocery stores. The finished product is sturdy and moist, making it a good cake for handling and decorating. That said, bananas make your cake taste like bananas. If you don’t like that, then this totally stinks. To use banana as an egg replacement, mash up enough banana to make a quarter-cup of banana glop per egg needed. 4. Greek yogurt. I love when yogurt or sour cream is added to cake batters because the cake is always moist, flavorful, and tender. However, it’s not a very good egg replacement. While the flavor of the cake was delicious, the yogurt added no structure and completely caved in while cooling. For context, I used a quarter-cup of Greek yogurt to replace one whole egg. The only reason I ranked it above applesauce is because the flavor was delicious—but this would never work for a cake that I'd serve in public. Imagine if I had used an eight or nine-inch cake pan. The cake would look like a bowl. The applesauce and yogurt cupcakes (two on the right side) both fell after cooling. Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann 5. Applesauce. Applesauce produced similar emulsifying results to bananas but without the benefit of firm structure. You can see in the picture above that after the cake cooled, it dipped in the center. Not as dramatically as the yogurt one, but still, not great. Applesauce adds moisture but since it has less structure, the batter falls while cooling and then you end up with a stodgy center. Furthermore, I found applesauce cake to be slightly nauseating in flavor, and it overly sweetened my cake even though I used the natural kind with no added sugar. If you must use it, use a quarter-cup to replace one egg. If you’re looking to seamlessly make cakes and cupcakes without extra steps or special ingredients, use aquafaba for the best results. It’s vegan, has good structure and moisture, and doesn’t negatively alter the flavor of your cake. It doesn’t need to be whipped for recipes where the eggs aren’t whipped, but—as an added benefit—this is the only ingredient where you can whip it to replace whipped eggs in a recipe. Aquafaba is a versatile cooking helper to keep around, and it’s essentially free if you’ve been draining it from your beans all these years. View the full article

The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped over 2,200 on Friday, the second day of a sell-off due to tariffs, but that could be good for mortgage rates. View the full article